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He wouldn’t be running away from her, from their feelings.

Would he?

Unable to sit still any longer, she went back down to the library and opened all the curtains to let in the morning light.

It was only then that she saw it. On the corner of his desk.

A platinum band.

His wedding ring.

Her legs gave out, and she sat down hard in Jude’s desk chair. The ring was lying right there, glinting against the dark, polished wood.

She knew what it meant. It couldn’t mean anything else.

He hadn’t simply left.

He’d lefther.

Twenty-five minutes later, Eve was still sitting at Jude’s desk, holding his wedding ring in her fist.

She’d been shocked at first. Then she’d cried painful, silent sobs. But now she was frozen in a wounded daze, unable to move, unable to speak, unable to unclench her hand.

Jude had left her, and she had no idea why.

Whatever the specific motivation, he must not want to be married to her anymore.

It was wrong.

It was terribly, unthinkably wrong.

She was his wife—for real, all the way—and his taking off his ring wasn’t going to change that. He needed her. He’d never be able to get through the last month of his life without her. She would never accept or believe that she hadn’t been good for him.

She had no idea why he didn’t want her anymore.

Her shoulders were starting to shake again, but she was too exhausted to really cry. She heard Nancy’s voice from the hallway.

Then it was closer, entering the room.

“Eve, honey,” Nancy said from behind her, obviously coming closer. “There you are. Any word from him yet?”

Eve shook her head since her throat was too tight to speak.

“What could that boy be thinking?” Nancy had reached her now, pulling up a side chair and perching on the edge of the seat.

It took effort, but Eve was eventually able to stretch open the fingers of her right hand to reveal the wedding band on her palm.

Nancy stared at it blankly for a long stretch of time. Then finally whispered, “Is that… is that his?”

Eve nodded, a weird little whimper breaking out of her throat.

“No.” Nancy straightened up abruptly. “No!”

Eve could finally speak. “It is his. It is.”

“I believe you, but he would never do that.”

“He… He did. He left it on the desk instead of a note.”